A Confused Heart
by hiro9796
Summary: Ran is enjoying her daily life as usual. Though, she could not stop thinking of a certain someone and began to reminisce moments of that person. Please rate and review


Hanasaki Ran is training outside the dojo on barefoot in her white training dress. She is practising her karate skills, punching and kicking nothing repeatedly but just air around her.

At an open corridor exposed to the surrounding and nearby Ran, her LBX, Minerva Kai stood watching. Even though LBXs are certainly not alive, all the people that owned them considered the little robots as their beloved partner.

Later, Ran ended her training and took a deep breath and released it out. Afterwards, she went and sat by the same corridor before picking up her LBX. She stared at Minerva Kai that she held in her hand, remembering all the journey that she had with Hiro, Ban and the others.

(Ran speaking)

 _I still remember, all of them. My journey to save and protect this world. It all began when I met the strong LBX player that I admired, Ban and also that boy after I managed to win and successfully built my LBX, Minerva from that Karate tournament._

 _I even met Jessica, Jin, Yuuya and made friends with other strong LBX players, where almost everyone are Ban's friends. We all, whether part-timely or full time were involved in a mission to save the world._

 _I thought first and foremost, my relationship with the boys during this journey will be nothing more than just best friends. However, there's just one boy, who I can't get my minds off with no matter what I do. Right, that boy is Oozora Hiro and there is a lot everyone know about him._

 _He is the age as me and in fact, completely childish with no signs of being mature. Plus, he's a complete fanatic in being a hero like Senshiman and related stuffs. I honestly have to admit that is true and everyone else thinks the same, including his mother, Professor Oozora Haruka._

 _The first thing that I thought in mind. Why a freak like him with that attitude is in the team? Of course, everything happen for a reason or more. I would describe him as the cheerleader of the team. He always cheer us up and loosen our doubts whenever one or more of us is feeling down._

 _He is different from us. Hiro can predict the future and that ability helps us saved the lives of many innocent people. The same power helps the team to make a comeback when we're on the verge of losing._

A brief recap of all the journey that Ran had during the Detector, Paradise and Mizel incidents flashes into her mind. Starting from when Ban and Hiro came to save her when she had to deal with Detector's LBXs until they safely returned to everyone after Mizel Trouzer exploded.

Along the scenes, there are moments of Ran together with her friends like Ban, Jin, Yuuya, and many more. Afterwards, she began to remember the bluenette called Oozora Hiro. Every single moments of him, being excited, annoyed, laughing, serious and smiling.

Remembering those moments of him makes the redhead smiled and giggled. "He's really is an amusing boy..." Ran muttered. _Knowing that, I thought he might just be one of the person in this world who doesn't have any problem and just be happy-go-lucky. But I saw something about him that everyone else doesn't..._

(Flashback)

The scene took place at NICS base during night time. This happens sometimes after Ban and the rest returns from Brinton, London. During this time of hour, everyone usually went to bed but some people are working during nightshift.

Some people, like Takuya, Cobra and Otacross even prefer to burn the midnight oil, gathering information and stuffs for the sake of ending the threat posed by Detector. Some of the corridors had their lights switched off for energy saving purposes.

As for Ban and the rest, they slept at the given rooms assigned by Director Owen Kaios. Their rooms are within the zone where the dark but not fully corridor lies at. Of course, girls do not sleep together in the same room as the boys.

Who knows what slanders and troubles might occur if that happened? Regardless, in the girls' room, Ran slept with Jessica and both wore white pyjamas. The two of them are sleeping like logs until the redhead woke up and walk off to somewhere outside the room.

While still half asleep, she was actually heading towards the toilet since there is none inside the girls room. After some time, she gets out from there and walks back to her room. However, she stopped midway and became fully conscious all of a sudden.

That is because she heard the sound of someone weeping. Ironically, there is no one near her doing such a thing and she is the only one standing in the middle of an empty, dark corridor. Though, the weeping sounds faint and it echoes throughout the corridor.

The redhead began to wonder. Is she hearing things due to her exhaustion in the day or there really is someone weeping? Regardless, she felt that she needs to do what is right, which is checking it out. Following the trail faint weeping that only she heard, Ran explore through the dark corridors of NICS base.

Until one point, she reaches the source of the whispering weeping and was surprised to discover who did that. It was from a person she knows. It is a boy, around her age and he is Oozora Hiro. He wore long sleeve orange shirt and a dark blue tracksuit.

The bluenette is within the dark corridor and sat by a space at one of the glass windows. The moon radiates through the glass, lighting some portion of the corridors while casting shadow on the objects in its way.

The same boy was holding a picture frame and his blue CCM in each of his hand while weeping silently. By the time Ran saw this, she was standing some distance away. _Hiro...? He is the one crying? But why?_ Ran thought in wonder. _Why I can hear his weeping from that distance?_

A lot of questions popped up in her mind and yet she does not know the answers to them. Without realising her body moved instinctively towards the bluenette due to her curious mind, she called out, "Hiro..."

The calling of his own name made the bluenette turned to the female voice. Hiro was indeed surprised and quickly wipe his tears. "Ran-san..." Hiro muttered. "What are you doing here?" he asked as Ran approached him.

"I...err...just happened to hear someone weeping" Ran stuttered. "I didn't know it was you, Hiro. What's wrong?" she asked as she sat beside Hiro. The bluenette did not answered the question but instead lend the redhead the picture frame that he was holding.

Ran confusedly accepted the picture frame and look at it. It was a picture of a young Hiro and a bombshell. That bombshell was Hiro's mother, Professor Oozora Haruka. Then Ran remembered that she and the others, including Hiro had recently visited Ban's father, Professor Yamano Junichiro in London.

Hiro was in fact excited about the trip because according to him, his mother was currently working there too. At first, he thought about having her to show the places around as in a tour guide. However, things went wrong as Haruka did not answered all his calls be it before Hiro arrived and departed.

Staring at the picture, Ran had some idea of what is happening to Hiro. "Are you homesick?" Ran guessed. "More than that..." Hiro told her. "Although I think lovesick is more appropriate compared to homesick" he stated. "Mom didn't even call back"

"It's in my mind ever since you mentioned about your mother. Where's your father? Why don't you try contacting him?" Ran suggested. "I...don't have a father" Hiro told her. The redhead was taken aback by this. Hiro does not have a father? Why?

"I don't have any idea who is my Dad and Mom doesn't remember anything about him. We don't even have pictures or anything related to him. That's why, I only had Mom playing both roles" Hiro explained.

"I see. But I still don't understand clearly why you are crying. Mind telling me why?" Ran requested. "It's a lot to put it in words and needed to be explain in order but I'll tell you. Can you promise me not to tell anyone else?" Hiro requested. "Okay" Ran promised.

"You see, my Mom was sent to work overseas in the past few years so I was alone at home everyday. Honestly, I didn't like it even though it's for my sake and she already got things covered. However, she assured me that I could always call her and talk to her if I have problems to share with. After she started working, I always did that when I do have one since she doesn't return home often. But one day, she scolded me for calling her at her busiest times, telling me that I disturbed her work and I couldn't tell her what's bothering me" Hiro explained.

"Did you contacted her everyday?" Ran asked. "During the early times yes but I would say that it's just randomly now. Ever since that happened, I decided. If Mom ever got caught up in her work, I promised not to get in her way. Because I loved her. But what's bothering me is that lately she didn't return home even though it is a short holiday for her. Usually she would return when she had the chance. Every year, Mom would be the first one to wish me a 'Happy Birthday' but now she didn't even though my birthday is on a few days before I get involved in this battle. She didn't even respond to my wishing message when it was her birthday. I wonder happened and what is she doing?" Hiro revealed. All his tone sounds sadistic and full of doubts.

Ran was totally speechless. To be frank, she never thought for once that someone who looks so happy-go-lucky or so it seems had such a problem. In fact, it is a family matter. The bluenette never even act like this in front of the others, including Ran.

"Sorry, for having you to listen to my nonsense ramblings, Ran-san" Hiro apologised. There was a slight change in his tone and he still smile even though the bluenette is still feeling sad. "Sometimes I wanted to cry, releasing all my current feelings. I know it might sounds pathetic of me to be having this kind of feelings and stuffs but thanks for lending me your ears" he thanked and then gets up from his seat to walk back to his room. "Now, let's go back to sleep..."

No warning given, Ran suddenly approaches and quickly gave the bluenette a hug, a gentle and compassionate one with her eyes closed. Hiro was completely astonished yet confused for why she would do that. "Ran-san...why?" Hiro asked.

"It is okay, Hiro. I'll keep this a secret from everyone. I promised. Go ahead and cry" Ran told him. Hiro flinched upon hearing this and could not respond back. Slowly, with his eyes on Ran's left shoulder, he began weeping and sheds tear. The redhead in return caress his hair and back, trying to comfort the bluenette as much as possible.

(Flashback end)

At the dojo, Ran lied down on the corridor and stared at the sky with many clouds passing by. _To be honest, before that happened, I hold special feelings towards Yuuya after being coached by him during the Angra Texas tournament. He is someone matured enough to keep up with my attitude. But now everything changed. I don't understand why I couldn't stop thinking about Hiro every day. When he was around, I felt different._

 _This kind of thing never happened to me before. I don't think about Yuuya that much compared to him. Yet I wonder...He looks like so childish and yet pathetic when he felt sad. I just couldn't ignore him even if I wanted to. Jessica and my Mom told me this. If a boy is dominating inside your mind and heart, it is a sign that I like and love him._

 _I just had a date with Yuuya yesterday but for some reason I only told him that I wanted him to accompany me going out like siblings in hands. Maybe because I never had a brother, be it younger or older than me._

 _Even if my mind wanted to confess that 'I love you' to him, my heart just felt guilty if I do so I didn't confess. Is it because my feelings for Hiro is much stronger compared to Yuuya? I have to solve this as quickly as possible. Otherwise, my heart would felt hurt for leaving things be._

The redheads then stood up, went to her room and changes her cloth. She wore her usual clothing and get outs from the house for a walk. Apparently inside her mind, all she could think is just Hiro and no one else as her body takes a step forward.


End file.
